82. Buy a fire extinguisher for my house

So I completely forgot that this was a task on the list til just now. After (finally) looking into renters' insurance, I realized it was high time for me to get a fire extinguisher for the house. Though I do spend a great deal of time at the fire department, finding a small household extinguisher proved to be a bit more challenging than I had originally thought.

But leave it to my favorite place on earth to scope out the opposite sex to come through for me... Lowes. For only $24.95 I am now fire safe and may have found a date for next week. Ok so not so much on the second part... but I'm working on it!

73. Have mom and sister over for dinner

So last night, more on a whim than anything else, I invited Mother and Fabulous Sister over for dinner. It started off mildly catastrophic as I rushed in the house 30 minutes before the scheduled dinner time, realized that only 2 of the 3 chicken breasts were thawed and the rice recipe called for milk, which I did not have. I also spilled bread crumbs all over the counter and quickly realized that rushing was going to get me no further than a very messy kitchen.

In the end dinner was delightful. Nothing spectacular, just some chicken, parmesan and herb rice, corn, and wheat rolls. But tasty none the less. And it was great to finally have mom and S. over for dinner in the not so new house. Hey so it took five months?

This is also getting me rolling on yet another task on the 101 list:
57. Keep my dining room table clear for eating for two weeks.

It's only been three days on that front... but we're getting there people!

On my way!

The leave has been approved, the tickets have been purchased, and on March 8th I will be on my way to visit K. and D. in Houston! Since they got married two summers ago, I have only seen K. and D. once. This is painfully unacceptable as K. is such a great friend and being able to spend time with her is really invaluable. But as for March 8th that will no longer be a problem! I have never been to Texas in fact I can count on one hand the number of times I have flown. So this will certainly be an experience. While there I'm sure I'll be doing what ever tourists do in Houston including going to the month long Houston rodeo!

For those of you who are keeping tabs that will be two things (that's right, count 'em TWO) of my 101 list.
47. Visit K. and D. in Houston
64. Go to a rodeo

I am more than a little excited and will definitely be updating when I can actually give a full report!

75. Get a desk and organize it

Ah the loveliness that is an actual home office... Working a part-time job from home was becoming exceedingly challenging (and cluttered) without a desk and some sort of office space. Bring in the 101 list and WaLa! The back room in my house which had become a catch-all for everything that didn't belong elsewhere is now a cute little home office. I had been eyeing this desk from afar for several months, beginning when I saw it in an issue of Real Simple. A trip to Tysons Corner and a little do-it-yourself handy work and it is now together and functioning.

Now that I have a little more organization in my life what shall be my next 101 conquest?

42. Compile all birthdays into a google calendar

And the first task of the 101 has been completed! With a little help from my own personal geek squad I have learned the many marvels that are google. In a single day I have not only started my own blog but have also completed task #42. I will now never forget a birthday as they are all set up with email reminders. Now if I can just get better about buying birthday cards!

Time to move on to the next...

and so I'm puttin' it all out there

So thanks to my best friend I am now on the blogging bandwagon as we embark on an adventure to last 1001 days. I now have until September 27, 2010 to complete my list of 101 goals, tasks, and other random escapades. Let the journey begin!

The List

1. Go on a cruise
2. Flatten my tummy
3. Learn to grill meat
4. Take a road trip and stop along the way to take photos
5. Travel to Colorado (10/12/09)
6. Learn to play the guitar
7. Pay off my credit card (01/15/09)
8. Throw a party (08/02/08)
9. Finish the quilt I started for T. (12/21/09)
10. Read a classic lit book that I haven’t read before
11. Start a scrapbook documentation of this list
12. Make a conscious effort to eat more slowly for a week
13. Write a letter or card once a week for a month
14. Make fondue (02/14/09)
15. Go on a picnic (05/29/10)
16. Go on a hike (04/15/09)
17. Go back to school (07/02/09)
18. Concoct my own cocktail
19. Run a 5K
20. Create a soundtrack for my life
21. Paint a picture that I will display in my house (10/11/08)
22. Go sailing
23. Hail a taxi (07/28/10)
24. Plant a tree
25. Write a personal mission statement (05/21/08)
26. Get a professional massage (05/24/09)
27. Work at a soup kitchen
28. Eat an entire meal with chopsticks
29. Learn how to drive a stick shift (12/28/08)
30. Be a bridesmaid (07/12/08)
31. Read the entire Bible
32. Journal once a week for a month
33. Have my picture taken with my sis for our parents
34. Have a piece of my writing published
35. Watch a sunrise (07/20/2008)
36. Watch a sunset (09/01/10)
37. Be at a job for one full year (04/01/08)
38. Open a savings account (01/01/09)
39. Go to a professional football game (11/15/09)
40. Decide what is the next step (05/16/08)
41. Buy a nice television
42. Compile all birthdays in a google calendar (01/02/08)
    
43. Make a concerted effort to be completely positive for a week (08/20/10)
44. Read the Bible every night for a week
45. Float the river (05/29/10)
46. Visit K. and M.'s new apartment (05/29/08)
47. Visit K. and D. in Houston (03/08/08)
48. See my sister off to college (08/21/08)
49. Talk to my sister about all the things she needs to know before she leaves for college (05/22/08)
50. Put together an in-case-of-emergency car kit (07/01/10)
51. Go to a wine tasting (06/07/08)
52. Set up a system for recycling at home (04/07/08)
53. Make a "happy box" (10/13/08)
54. Knit or crochet a scarf
55. Write a book
56. Make a new friend (04/10/08)
57. Keep my dining room table clear for eating for two weeks(02/04/08)
58. Do yoga twice a week for a month
59. Go to California (05/04/10)
    
60. Plan a big fundraiser with the high school youth group (06/01/08)
61. Ride a horse (10/31/09)
62. Eat veggies once a day for a week (08/13/10)
63. Try a new recipe every week for a month (12/15/08)
64. Go to a rodeo (03/10/08)
65. Bake and decorate a fabulous non-birthday cake (03/20/10)
66. Go paddle boating
67. Buy a bouquet of flowers for myself
68. Learn to juggle
    
69. Kiss under the mistletoe
70. Plan a fire and rescue event at the library(06/14/08)
71. Send my sister a care package at college (11/11/08)
72. Set up a rainy day fund consisting of at least 3 months salary.
    
73. Have mom and sister over for dinner (01/23/08)
74. Have my grandparents over for dinner
75. Get a desk and organize it (01/03/08)
76. Go to the zoo (05/31/10)
77. Spend a day going through a museum (04/20/09)
78. Go through and clean out all my hair and makeup products (02/07/10)
79. Organize my jewelry (02/04/10)
80. Visit my sister at college (02/07/09)
81. Read a biography of someone I don't know much about (02/13/08)
82. Buy a fire extinguisher for my house (01/12/08)
    
83. Buy myself a nice piece of jewelry just for the heck of it (06/11/10)
84. Give a friend a fabulous surprise gift(03/20/10)
85. Go bowling
86. Stay in bed all day and go out for a fabulous dinner
87. Go to a make your own pottery place
88. Splurge on a great pair of jeans that fit
89. Go to the gym every day for a week (except Sunday)(07/06/08)
90. Take a mental health day for myself, with absolutely no agenda (12/11/09)
91. Print out my digital pictures (09/05/08)
92. Organize all my printed pictures in photo albums and/or scrapbooks (02/11/10)
    
93. Complete a full bottle of vitamins instead of buying them and forgetting about them(06/16/08)
94. Have a yard sale and donate everything that doesn't sell (08/08/09)
    
95. Take a random art or dance class for fun (10/16/09)
    
96. Start and finish a scrapbook (02/10/10)
97. Get a safe deposit box for valuable documents
98. Take a self defense class.
99. Buy a more gas efficient vehicle (10/04/08)
100. Go to a play or opera (03/05/09)
     
101. Set up a meeting with K. to review our success after 1001 days! (08/25/10)